The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 11.2147  Wednesday, 22 November 2000.

From:           Sean Lawrence <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
Date:           Tuesday, 21 Nov 2000 08:31:19 -0800
Subject: 11.2141 Re: Far-fetched Stage Directions
Comment:        Re: SHK 11.2141 Re: Far-fetched Stage Directions

Arthur Lindley writes:

>The exact stage direction in The Atheist's Tragedy (at 5.2.235,
>following the line 'You shall see / How easily I can put you out of pain
>. . . Oh!') is: 'As he raises up the axe strikes out his own brains.
>Staggers off the scaffold.'  As well he might.

Indeed he might.  This is exactly why my Boy Scout leader forbade us
from using double-bitted axes.  (He didn't cite _The Atheist's Tragedy_,
but the same principle was there).

Cheers,
Se